


here comes this rising tide

by egelantier



Series: drabbles and flashfics [71]
Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, Politics, Royalty, Snippets, The Queen and her Lady-in-Waiting, flashfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26412928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/egelantier/pseuds/egelantier
Summary: Sparrow, a lady-in-waiting of the imprisoned (protected for her own good, as anybody would tell you) dowager queen Zinnia, is a very good spy.
Series: drabbles and flashfics [71]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/625589
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	here comes this rising tide

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Caracalliope](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caracalliope/gifts).



> happy birthday, dear heart.

Lord-Guardian Jussa did not believe in meeting with his spies in the dead of the night. Was he not the protector of the entire Harath, a keeper of the country's body and soul? Was he not entitled and dedicated to knowing everything that the castle's inhabitants might do wrong, out of some misguided notion? He hoped they all slept easier at night, knowing that his eyes and ears were everywhere, keeping watch, keeping everybody from going astray. 

And nobody needed protection and guidance more than his beloved late king's widow. Not that he doubted the dowager queen's virtue, but who knew what one of the wolves prowling for the empty throne might one day incline her too? It was better, so much better - just what King Pell would've wanted - to keep her safe. Safe and well-watched. 

The girl he therefore summoned to his study was in her late twenties and served queen Zinnia as a lady-in-waiting for over two years. A bit too long, maybe, since Jussa normally preferred to change the queen's ladies often, to avoid forming any unseemly attachments, and to make the security tighter. But Sparrow was quick and intelligent, and Jussa liked her. 

She didn't invent falsehoods in hope of getting promoted, always referred to her lady with all the respect due, knew what information was pertinent and what wasn't, and had on two separate occasions helped Jussa prevent the queen from going astray. In small ways, of course, really small ways, but small infractions begat the bigger ones, and small bits of communication with the outside world could easily turn into great and horrible treasons. 

It would break the Lord-Guardian's heart to see his liege's widow burn - but he knew he would never turn away from duty. And so he made time for Sparrow, and compensated her well, and listened to her carefully. 

"Report," he said, now, and the girl curtsied to him. 

"Her Ladyship is in good health, Your Grace. She took three walks in the rooftop garden, and ate well all through the week, and read the latest volume of Brother Hadar's work you sent her, with apparent enjoyment."

"Good, I'm glad. I'm looking forward to discussing it with the queen next time I visit. How are her spirits? Does she seem listless, preoccupied? Did she mention anything unusual?"

"No, Your Grace. Her Ladyship as diligent with her embroidery as ever, and will ask for new supplies soon, I think; other than that there's nothing weird..."

The girl hesitated, but she knew very well by now that Jussa never punished initiative or honest mistakes, and so she was bold enough to continue. "I'm afraid, though... I would not want to get anybody in trouble, Your Grace, I'm sure it was just a momentary lapse. One of the guards was whistling a song, you know, something she heard at the marketplace - they're just so easy to get caught up in, and... Her Ladyship asked..."

Jussa felt a little shiver go down his spine. "What song, girl? Speak straight."

"About the Pretender, Your Grace," Sparrow said and dropped her gaze to her knees. "How he's supposed to be, uh - Her Ladyship's... -"

"Silence," Jussa said, making an effort not to raise his voice, and the girl immediately shut up. "Give me the name of the guard and go."

The maid complied and bowed out, and Lord-Guardian had to take several long minutes to compose himself. The affront, of all things! As if the blackguard rousing rabble could have any claim on the throne. As if Zinnia could've been so unfaithful - as if anybody could betray the last king that way - no. He would replace the guard, and punish her appropriately, and that would be it. 

(And yet the previous maid - the one he had to sack and exile when there was not a kernel of proof to her accusations - cried and shrieked and swore that the dowager queen met with somebody, in secret. with somebody young who found his way into her ferociously guarded tower. Who, who, who? Lord Jussa's heart was uneasy.)

* * *

Her Ladyship nodded at Sparrow when she entered her chambers, and did not ask where she was. Sparrow always liked it in her, that she would not be cruel just for the sake of being cruel. Her Ladyship had no weight to throw against His Grace, but if she had at any point chosen to make Sparrow's life hell, His Grace would've surely indulged her. 

The queen had not. Sparrow curtsied to her, nodded to the guards, feeling a bit sorry to the one who was going to get sacked soon, took her place at Her Ladyship's feet, and did what she did best, filling the air between them with a bright, happy chapter. Not senseless enough to annoy or bore Her Ladyship, but filled with nothing of consequence. 

No news of the outside world that she had access too, not a word about the hungry riots in the marketplaces, no rumors of the angry warlord having finally licked their wounds getting ready for another round, and, of course, not a whisper of the Pretender - of a mysterious young man whom the crowd called simply The Heir. 

No, no; she talked to the queen of the robin nest she found on her visit to town, and about the feast prepared in the royal kitchens, and about a secret affair between the scullery maid and one of the pages, and her parents, and many other different things, on and on to Her Ladyship's benevolent nods, Her Ladyship's dark, strong hands plying her needle with the speed of long experience. 

And then the queen cried out, dropping her embroidery hoop, and Sparrow stared, aghast, at the small drop of blood spoiling the snow-white silk. She jumped up, snatching the priceless unfinished handkerchief, and rushed to fuss over Her Ladyship's prickled finger. 

"Shoo, Sparrow," Her Ladyship finally said with fond irritation, "you'd think I cut my finger off. I'm just upset, I spent three days on this handkerchief."

"I'll find a really good laundress, Your Ladyship," Sparrow said, freeing the cloth and tucking it into her bodice. “I swear it will be as good as new soon! But you must be tired, sitting here all day with it, and your eyes must be so sore... Maybe you would like to take a stroll around the garden?"

"We might as well," the queen said, rising to her feet, and waving down the guard. "Walk with me, Sparrow, keep me company."

Sparrow did; she chattered and chattered and didn't stop when, deep into the small rooftop garden with its profusion of blooming flowers, the queen asked, moving her lips soundlessly, "Well?"

Sparrow said, within the little pauses between gossip, just as quietly: "He bought it; the guard will be replaced. He still fears you might be in contact with the Pretender."

Zinnia laughed and leaned her forehead against Sparrow's, breathing the words into her skin. "Poor little spying Hannah! Who knew her lies would serve me so well. He wouldn't see the truth until it's too late."

Sparrow shivered, her hand inadvertently going to the small square of cloth hidden against her breast, utterly innocuous - unless the people for whom it was intended knew how to unlock the magic spilled into it with the royal blood. 

Just knowing about this magic would be enough to put Sparrow on the stake. But nothing that Zinnia's hands touched could be truly evil, not even Ennedi magic gifted to her many years ago. 

"Yes," she said, "yes," and then, "soon," and mourned when the queen straightened up again, leaving nothing but promise behind. 

She will deliver the message; she will receive the answers; and soon, the day of their triumph will come. 

Harath, after all, used to be ruled by queens. 


End file.
